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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — clever
  5. kick — in football
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. game — a match
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. game — wild animals
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. key — in music
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fine — all right
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. key — for a lock
  21. charge — a price
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bowl — to roll

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com